Note
Awarded in the midst of World War 2, with so many senior members enlisted and serving away, Commodore Wirtz's desire was to encourage sailors of pre-military age to join the club and take full advantage of the boats available to ensure a continuance of interest in sailing.
The response of pre-military age youth with applications to join the Club was so strong the executive sought to acquire 8 additional Snipe Class boats to meet the demand in the spring of 1943.
In the first year awarded, the selection committee awarded the trophy to Wirtz's son Bill.
A sidebar - Commodore Wirtz, a former Lions Club President, singer and band leader was known for his voice of stentorian volume. In 1928 he was asked to lead cheerleading at a hockey game. And the rest is history - the initiator of the old Oskie - Wa-Wa cheer, he made the cheer synonymous with Hamilton sports and with the city itself, leading Tiger Cats game cheers in his 1925 Tiger cats uniform and massive fur coat until his death in 1966;, and was followed in that path by his son Bill until 1976.
1943 - W.V. Wirtz
1944 - Paul Philip
1945 - J. (John) Robertson
1946 - Tim Nelson
1947 - Doug Nelson
1948 - Jack Sweeney
1949 - D. Nelson
1951 - D. Davies
1952 - R. (Bob) Thompson
1953 - G. Hampson
1954 - F. Hewitt
1955 - S. Dalton
1957 - Wilf Morris
1958 - J. Gunther
1959 - K. Ormerod, R. Ormerod
1960 - J. Connell
1961 - R. (Ron) Ormiston
1962 - S. (Stan) Chambers
1963 - D. (Denny) Draper
1964 - R. Detwiler
1965 - C. Young
1966 - R. Pollock
1967 - R. Morgan Jr.
1968 - D.J. Johnstone
1969 - M. (Marv) Downs
1970 - Dr. W.G. (Bill) Green
1971 - Dr. R. Foote
1972 - K. Christmas
1973 - Jim Hynd
1974 - Dr. M. Skafel
1977 - M. Allfors
1978 - Vern Shimens
1979 - G. (Gwen) Jocelyn
1980 - D. (Don) Young, N. (Norma) Young
1981 - Paul Moffatt
1982 - M. Kuehner
1983 - H. (Herta) Radigan
1984 - WILDCAT, Sharon Lehnert
1986 - Paul Howarth
1987 - John Washington
1988 - David Blanchard
1989 - Cathy (Kathy) Dyer
1990 - Brent Muir
1991 - Paul Vickery
1992 - Sharon Lehnert
1993 - Leslie Hynd
1994 - Wayne & Laurie Harrison
1995 - Don Scarratt
1996 - Harold Higgenbottom
1997 - Steve Kauppiner
1998 - WABIGOON, John Grime
1999 - Diana Rousseau
2000 - Tom Woodhead
2001 - Al Molloy
2002 - Jim Montagne (Lamontagne)
2003 - Connie Kidd
2004 - Wilf Laman
2005 - Peter Layard
2006 - Susanne Broe-Vayda
2007 - Muriel Smiley
2008 - John Rispole
2009 - Jacqui Hunt
2010 - David Volans
2011 - Michael Cox
2012 - Craig Campbell
2013 - Warren Norwood
2014 - Sue & Bill Pollon
2015 - William Pearson
2016 - Adrian Laman
2017 - Dawn Walker
2018 - Warren Norwood
2020 - Covid Pandemic
2021 - Covid Pandemic
2022 - Diana Rousseau
2023 - Matt Paprzycki
2024 - Darren Hemingway
2025 - Colin Harper
